Welcome to the Happy Productive Podcast!
Aug. 7, 2024

Tailoring Planning Systems for Entrepreneurs: Overcoming Overwhelm with Katy Allen

Tailoring Planning Systems for Entrepreneurs: Overcoming Overwhelm with Katy Allen

Overwhelm often comes from over-scheduling and bad planning. Katy Allen is the CEO of Artful Agenda & co-founder of Adulting App. She built her business based on her need for a better time management tool and her love for paper planners. 

Creatives and business owners manage a lot of things at once, and proper planning is crucial for productivity, but also for creativity. Katy and Jennifer share their experiences in creating business planners and which tips and tricks you can use to make the best out of your day, week, and year.  They also discuss why gentle structure in scheduling your day is important and allows creativity to flow naturally.

Every day, you must ask yourself what can move the needle in your business, and should be addressed with priority, what can be done later or by someone else? These are all critically important because over-scheduling can damage the business. Use time blocking as a tool to more realistically maintain daily goals and avoid over-commitment.

And don’t forget, if your current methods aren't working, try new ones! Jennifer’s Best Planner Ever is an amazing paper option, and Artful Agenda is an incredible digital option!  Both planners are there to help you tailor the planning system that will fit your unique needs and work style.  Never stop planning!

Notes:
📒 Katy created Artful Agenda in 2018: a planner for busy women. 01:17
💡 From idea to app: needing a cool planner herself, and creating an online paper-appealing planner.  02:03
🌸 How Jennifer created her Best Planner Ever: a paper planner with an amazing design. 05:12
🧁 Custom aesthetics and choosing your layout in the planner: all satisfaction elements Katy uses of task lists, master lists, and stickers. 08:03
😇 Pick a system: choices are numerous; start by using any system so you can get better productivity. 12:05
🌟 ‘Task A’ moves the needle: priority lists are important to get done first and achieve satisfaction in the work you do. 16:14
🤓 Tips for having better productivity during the day: how to make tasks visible for yourself. 18:21
🤹 The power of loose time blocking: having days full of tasks and how to deal with them.  21:58
🔠 Jennifer’s ‘gentle structure’ and ABCDEF system: why rigidity kills your fun and creativity. 24:05
✌️ Being overwhelmed is real: overscheduling and how to use a calendar to properly plan tasks ahead.  29:04

Links

Artful Agenda www.artfulagenda.com

Connect with Katy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/artful-katy/
Connect with Jennifer: www.jenniferdawncoaching.com

Retreats: www.jenniferdawncoaching.com/our-retreat

Join our Academy: www.jenniferdawnacademy.com